Chairman's Message 2006

- extracted from Singapore Construction Law Newsletter April 2006

The first three months of 2006 has seen a marked increased in the level of orders in the construction industry. While many of the new orders derive from the revitalized residential section, and in particular, the construction of high-end homes, other sectors have contributed to the sense of activity felt across the industry. Notable among these are, firstly, the large commercial projects such as Orchard Turn and, of course, the Integrated Resorts and, secondly, the considerable streams of orders from abroad. One local contractor, for example, secured a $1.8 billion contract in one of the Gulf states while at least three Singapore architectural firms are now involved in the largest construction malls ever developed in that part of the world.

Against this backdrop, the Society’s decision to launch the inaugural International Conference of Societies of Construction Law is clearly timely. The conference is expected to bring together representatives from at least a dozen countries. It is intended to serve as a major platform for exchange and deliberations of developments which affect this subject across the world. We are honoured to secure the agreement of the member SCLs in Europe, New Zealand and elsewhere to be the first country to host the conference. I look forward to members of the Society supporting this important event.

Meanwhile, it is also pertinent to report that three adjudications have now been conducted under the Building and Construction Industry Security of Payments Act 2004 which came into force on 1 April 2005. While it is too early to suggest that the regime has so far worked well. By the time this issue of the Newsletter is in circulation, the Society would have held its briefing seminar on the first adjudications. I am pleased to be able to participate in this seminar together with Christopher Chuah and Michael Chia.

Chow Kok Fong
Chairman, Society of Construction Law
April 2006